Monday, August 31, 2009

UPDATE: I’ve been in email contact with Metro. After a few emails back and forth between Ms. Bessy and myself (she had a couple of questions that I had to answer), she informed me that she would send me a couple free Fast Passes. I can’t say I’m happy that the situation occurred in the first place, but I’m happy the way it turned out. I think all Metro employees could learn a thing or two about business etiquette and customer satisfaction from Ms. Bessy.

From Christopher:

My wife used to receive weekly Fast Passes every month purchased with money taken out of her paycheck. At one point, she had to go to the hospital for pregnancy complications and during that time, she received a double order of Fast Passes.

We tried to return the extra passes because they had taken double the money out of her paycheck. WMATA and the benefits company her work uses both say it wasn’t their fault. We decided to let it go.

That was over a year ago.

I found the passes recently and started using them. I’m still losing money in the long run, but, if I’m going to have the passes, I might as well use them.

Everything was fine until I got to my last pass. It didn’t work.

I went to the Metro Center sales office to see if I could get a replacement. The lady at the counter informed me that my pass was purchased for $32.50 and the price had risen a while ago to $39, and that is why it didn’t work.

I pulled out another pass in my pocket and informed her that I had been using these passes all month with no problem, and that the only reason I had the passes was because someone made a mistake with my wife's benefits.

Seems to me Metro has been making a lot of mistakes recently, especially the one on June 22 that left 9 people dead.

The Metro employee told me she could give me another pass, but I would have to pay the difference of $6.50.

“You’ve got to be “You’ve got to be “You’ve got to be “You’ve got to be “You’ve got to be “You’ve got to be “You’ve got to be “You’ve got to be $&%*#@! kidding me!!!!” I politely said.amp;%*#@! kidding me!!!!” I politely said.amp;%*#@! kidding me!!!!” I politely said.

“You need to honor the price I paid for the pass since there is no expiration date on it!” I replied.

But since she had my pass in her hand (the pass states that it is subject to confiscation by WMATA) I knew I could walk away and lose $32.50 or let the issue drop and lose $6.50.

I chose the latter.

She told me to take it up with customer service. I told her everyone knows Metro customer service is a joke, since they still haven’t responded to the first time I complained about the original double dose of Fast Passes.

I wrote WMATA an email, but I know that won't yield any results. I’m currently looking for any law that says they have to honor the pass they sold me because it didn’t have an expiration date.

WMATA estimated that by replacing 23 escalators, it would save $1.2 million in annual operating expenses. The cost of replacing the escalators was estimated at $13.9 million. Some of that expense would have been offset by not having to perform a mid-life overhaul on 18 of the candidates for a one-time savings of $4.5 million.

The bottom line, WMATA said, was that they'd recoup expenses in less than 10 years.

What happened to the idea? According to the minutes from the meeting of the Customer Service, Operations and Safety Committee:

"The Committee members posed several questions regarding the financial analysis presented. The Committee did not collectively embrace this proposal; however staff was requested to look at escalators shorter in height than was proposed, consideration of safety related issues and their impact on escalators versus stairs, demographics of our riding population, identification of the specific areas that would benefit from adding stairs and accessibility, as well as other cost-saving ideas."

A Metro spokesman put it more succinctly: "It was shot down in flames."

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Often, I chide you for your problems during evening rush hour. And, to be fair, those problems happen often and are particularly annoying! But let's not forget your morning rush hour problems either, OK?

Take [yesterday] morning, for instance. A downed train at Potomac Avenue had us stopped outside of Ballston for over 30 minutes. That's right -- stopped dead for half an hour because of a problem 15 stations away! That's the beauty of you, Metro. A problem anywhere on the line paralyzes the entire system! And let's be honest, Metro -- it's a rare day when you don't have a problem occurring somewhere. What genius in your design!

Then, naturally, as soon as we finally start moving again, we're stopped again outside Clarendon for another downed train that has to unload in front of us. Lucky for me, I managed to board one of your trains that was actually working this morning! It felt kind of like winning the Metro lottery!

I just want to say again, Metro, when I arrive at the platform in Vienna in the mornings, how much I enjoy not having any idea when I might show up to work that day. Today, I was only an hour late, but who knows what tomorrow might bring? It adds an extra element of spice and variety to my mornings, Metro, and I thank you for it.

Take care,FRUSTRATED ON THE ORANGE LINE

Many in the Twittersphere shared Frustrated's feelings and twaged on Metro, and well, we haven't done one of these in a while. If we missed yours, our apologies. There were LOTS.

globalsuit#WMATA you need to spend more on maintenance, 1 train malfunction messses up entire line. I rate you F-ail today. Thanks for making me late.jgweston40 minutes to get from Metro Center to Capitol South... at least I could listen to the entire Abbey Road album. Thanks WMATA!BeccaClaraLoveBlue line trains are barely moving. I've been stuck between Arlington and Rosslyn for a while now. #wmataryantcarneyOur #Metro driver apologizes 4 "any inconvenience". The 40 minute delay. Or no explanation? Let me ask #ATR friends, is wmataunionized?ems122RT @aphraner: I feel like if metro is delayed I should pay a reduced fare #wmata#isitfridayyet | AGREED!emilytbeverForgot to add: I'm 20 minutes into hour 2 of my commute #wmatasarahedaleapparently I made the right choice to get off the metro and walk from foggy bottom. it appears to be a mess at the moment. #wmata#metrokatie_stantontrapped on the orange line for god knows how long. siiigh. didnt miss this while i was on vacay! #wmatahfienbergApropriate that I'm reading article on WMATA incompetence while my metro car sits idle in a tunnel, awaiting train rescue aheadmilesgranthow long can @wmata stretch my 45 min commute? 60 min yesterday, 75 min today. is there a contest I don't know about?dlj26Ugh. Metro single-tracking orange and blue this morning. If ever there was a day for Bailey's in the coffee. #wmatasamerfarhaI'm becoming intimately familiar with the concrete in these Orange line tunnels. #wmata#delaysmegansimoneTook me 1.5 hrs to get 2 miles to work today. #wmata#wmataFAILmyriadianThanks for the 2x long commute #wmata. Fuck you. 1hr 20 mins to bethesda from clarendon, should be 40 mins max.FlyJP08The metro yet again has enraged me: 1hr 25min to go 3.4 miles. In perspective, I did 6 miles this morning in 40min. WMATA FAIL #WMATA#fbjim_jacobsRT @wmata: Blue-Orange Lines: Disruption at Potomac Ave towards Largo Town Center and New Carrollton. THIS SYSTEM IS FAILING, MORE EVERY DAYtheroux@unsuckdcmetro I wish metro wrote notes excusing us for being late, i.e. "Dear Jim's Boss, please excuse Jim's lateness. My bad. XOXO WMATA"megansimone@unsuckdcmetro ONLY an hour from EFC to Fed Ctr?? Wow, it's really speeding up. #wmatameggiepooAh Metro was not at the top of it's game today. 35 minutes for a 10 minute ride on the Orange line? No thanks!maryellenburkeOrange line has been SO glitchy this week. Stuck at Rosslyn wishing I already had my morning coffee #metro

And we can't forget the Red Line, which was plagued with fire on the tracks during yesterday's evening rush.

sweetbobbyFire outside bethesda? If you don't turn on the fucking AC I'll combust too, #wmatamishamishapDear WMATA, I hate you. DIE DIE DIE. I hope congress nationalizes you a la Chavez. With vitriol, mishaelbowglitterEpic fail of a run and now I am stuck on a stationary metro. I really hate #wmata and their lack of information.BeautifuLuzWhen is WMATA gonna fix the red line for real for real...I'm tired of delays everydayDArkMEATHOOKSometimes i think it would be better to raze the dc metro and start againSabrinaSiddiquiFire on #redline tracks means stuck underground forever. DC metro has been losing at life lately...torioreoI'm concerned with the frequency that dc metro has fires...spontaneous combustion should not have been installed on the tracks...NatNatinDCThat's a lie RT @metroopensdoors: Red Line: Disruption cleared.pathseekerkenTrack Fire Delays Metro's Red Line. What's next, plagues of frogs? Rivers of blood? http://bit.ly/B9AP9#unsuckdcmetrooskolnikConductor on Red Line: "There's an emergency up ahead. We will be moving momentarily... hopefully." Encouraging! #wmata#metroaterkel30-min. commute on red line took more than an hour today. We offloaded two different trains. Wonderful.kandriulliOh eff you red line...quinniusmaximusred line commute home - FAILRT @toddeherman @DCMetro defined: it's sort of like a "train" but, with traffic jams, congestion + rush hour slowdowns.djgiftedsonWell what do you know. The red line is again fucked up todaykatmceachernDear friends: do not take the red line to shady grive tonight. Just took over an hour from Takoma to Metro CenterOKnoxThe Red Line, she is all bollixed up. "Fire outside of Bethesda station."anthonydpaulFire on red line at bethesda. Significant delays. Take bus.nacecI hate the Red Line. The Metro used to be so reliable. Now it sucks. Shame on DC for letting it come to this.tigermelp This summer's been gruesome for the Red Line... I've been taking my car more and more as a result._ladygoodmanI will not be traveling on any parts of the Red Line on the Metro if I really don't have to. There is always something going on.JosieDC stuck on red line b4 Medical Ctr- Fire-smoke, train ahead emptied - lady next 2 me needs to stop saying we're gonna die.

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